I have the front wheel, fender, and fork caps off. I managed to get to the pinch bolts loosened and the forks dropped down buy loosening and moving around the headlights. The question is am I going to be able to get this done without completely removing the headlight and passing lamps? So far, so good, but it keeps getting tougher.

 

I can now answer this question myself. Yes, you can, but I don't recommend it. PITA, and makes reassembly tricky. I have another hour or so to go to be done. The only major reassembly issue was the bottom bolt on the left side. It would not torque to spec for some reason. Nothing was spinning that I could detect, but I never got it to tighten per the torque wrench. Worked fine on the other side. Tore it down, did it again, same result. It caught the monotube and held it in place no problem, and really can't come lose as the front axel will keep it from backing out, but I still don't like it.

 

Sounds like stripped threads somewhere.

 

Is it the screw/bolt with the copper seal - if so, what's happening is the complete Momotube is rotating - what you could try is get some compression on the shocks while trying to tighten that screw.
The screw cant drop out as you say, but it could result in an oil leak.

A PIA, but degreasing the bottoming cup and bottom end of the legs, and Monotube would help it grip in the bottom of the leg.

 

I thought of that too. When I tore it back down I put that screw into the monotube and it went in just like the other side did. It only calls for about 15 lb/ft of torque, so they aren't very tight in the first place. The monotube won't move up or down.

 

It is the 6mm at the bottom go the fork. I now have the forks back in place with the fork caps on but the wheel still off. I'll try to re-torque it tonight and see if that spring pressure will hold it in place. It needs to be a little tighter, but not much. No leak so far, but we've not even got the weight of the bike on it yet, much less going down the road.

 

I did a search on Google that sent me back to this site and an old thread describing the same problem. All seemed to be able to get one side torqued properly with ease. The other side torqued only after returning to spring pressure. Hopefully, mine will do the same.

 

Good luck dude. Make sure you let us know what the trick is.

 

I will. My concern now is that I have red Loctite on that bolt that's set up over night. Not sure what that'll do to the situation.

 

Oh boy. You might be in trouble there. That loctite will probably cause the same problem you were having before but now in the opposite direction.

Maybe a little heat on that bolt if that's the case will help.